Yayasan Sime Darby pledges over RM4.4 million for Covid-19 response

Yayasan Sime Darby (YSD) or Sime Darby Foundation, has committed more than RM4.4 million of support efforts to address the immediate needs of individuals and communities impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

This is being carried out through partnerships with Government-Linked Companies (GLC) and Government-Linked Investment Companies (GLIC) Disaster Response Network (GDRN), Mercy Malaysia, Malaysia International Search and Rescue (MISAR) and University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC).

Yayasan Sime Darby chairman Tunku Tan Sri Imran Ibni Almarhum Tuanku Ja’afar said the contribution will help to provide support for the country’s medical providers who are being stretched thin, and also to provide assistance to vulnerable communities whose sources of income have been affected by the Movement Control Order (MCO).

“Apart from our partners who have been working tirelessly to support the Ministry of Health with its coronavirus response efforts, we also thank our other partners and volunteers who have helped us to distribute food aid and hygiene products to the hardest-hit communities.

“We are thankful to Sime Darby Plantation, Sime Darby Berhad, and Sime Darby Property for their generous contributions to these missions. We are always proud to be able to represent these three caring companies in all humanitarian efforts we undertake,” he said.

Of the committed amount, RM3.5 million has been channelled to GDRN to provide streamlined support for medical supplies, personal protective equipment (PPE) and ventilators to the Ministry of Health (MoH) and Pharmaniaga Berhad, which will be channelled to hospitals, district health clinics and frontliners.

YSD has allocated RM577,840 for a partnership with MERCY Malaysia to cover mobilisation costs for medical volunteers, and aid for frontliners, the underprivileged, and quarantine centres in Terengganu. The monies will cover meals, logistics, accommodation, PPE and health screening tests for 140 medical volunteers that will be deployed to serve two government hospitals in Johor and four district health centres in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor. Some RM200,000 worth of food aid and hygiene kits will be distributed to the underprivileged and RM38,000 worth of food aid and disinfectants to quarantine centres in Terengganu.

In addition, YSD contributed a total of RM195,000 to UMMC to purchase PPE such as gloves, disposable face shields as well as coverall suits for medical frontline workers.

Another RM12,160 worth of hand sanitisers for enforcement officers were also distributed at Movement Control Order (MCO) checkpoints and police stations, with the help of Malaysia International Search and Rescue (MISAR).

The foundation is also working with Perak State Park Corporation (PSPC), to distribute RM10,000 worth of food assistance to 241 Orang Asli households who are living in the Royal Belum Forest. Food aids worth RM70,000 and RM21,560 were also provided to some 1,000 Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) students and 98 low-income individuals respectively.

YSD hopes that these funds will help community-based organisations better respond to the global health crisis by assisting people who are economically or physically at risk, such as medical frontliners and underserved communities.

Tunku Imran said the foundation sets aside RM2 million annually for its Disaster Relief Fund, which has in the past been used to assist communities affected by disasters such as floods, fires and earthquakes.

“We never thought that one day we would be using these funds to provide critical assistance to various affected groups during a global pandemic. During this critical time, we have more than doubled our allocation of funds to support essential COVID-19 response work, and commit to increase the amount of funds if the situation calls for it,” he said.

Yayasan Sime Darby was established in 1982 and is the philanthropic arm of Sime Darby Plantation Berhad, Sime Darby Property Berhad and Sime Darby Berhad.